Unless you want an itchy rash, your best bet is to steer clear of these little critters altogether. And if you’re a couple of scientists trying to insert a data logger into a nest filled with two hundred of them? Well, your best bet is to suit up.

For many years, scientists have used forest maps to focus their predictions about where these itchy caterpillars might spread. But, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the PPM doesn’t actually need forests. It just needs trees, and it’s willing to accept the ones in the front yard, thank you very much.